Mechanism for controlling knitting needles in plating operations



April 21, 1931*.

J. LAWSON ET AL MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING KNITTING NEEDLES IN PLATING OPERATIONS original Filed March 1o, 192? l/ ff Iaweazzm: John Lannion Bober/Hlauaon lPatented Apr. 2l, 1931 UNITED STATE- s PATENT oFFlci:

JOHN LAWSON AND ROBERT H. LAWSON, OF PAWTUCXET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOBS TO HEMPHILL COMPANY, F CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION Ol' MASSACHUSETTS MECBIANISM FOR OONTROLIJNG XNITTING NEEDLES IN PLATINO OPERATIONS Original application led March l0, 1927, Serial No. 174,176. Divided and this application led arch 22, 1929. Serial No. 349,281.

' This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 174,176, filed March 10, 1927, now Patent No. 1,720,649,

dated July 9, 1929.

c This invention relates to mechanism for controlling knitting needles in plating operation and particularly to means for moving outwardly predetermined needles when normal plating is to occur thereat.

In order that the principle of the invention maybe readily understood, we have disclosed a single embodiment of the invention whereby the vsame may be practised.

Fig. l is aplan view of the sinker or web holder bed ring and showing in horizontal section the cams of the sinker cam ring, the top,plate of said ring being removed 1g. 2 is a vertical transverse sectionv on he line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the div rection of the arrow thereon, the needle beinshown in its inner position;

,. ig. 3 is a detail in plan of the sinker ring and certain parts in the grooves thereof;

Fig, 4 is a perspective view of one of the 225 instrumentalities employed with the form of theinvention shown in Fig. 2, and the parts` immediately associated therewith; and y Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a jack or element cooperating with the special instrumentality.

In the patent to Robert H. Lawson, Reissue No. 16,584, dated A ril 5, 1927, there are disclosed means for e ecting reverse plating by v the action of casting oil mechanism, whereby lengthwise extendingnstripes may be formed u constituting improvements upon or adapted to be used with the mechanism shown in said Patent No. 1,605,896, but which may be used with mechanism such as shown in said Reissue Patent No. 16,584. The mechanism here shown is also of general application.

The web holder bed ring isindicated at 1, it having radial or transversely extending grooves 2 for receiving the regular web holders or sinkers indicated at 3 in the several figures, and also for receiving the special instrumentalities indicated at 4 in said gures. The sinker cam ring, the top plate whereof has been removed from Fig. 1, but which is indicated at 5 in Fig. 2, is equippedgwith a series of cams for providing diierent l pathways, in the inner one 6 whereof the regular web holders are guided by their butts 7 and in the two outer ones 8, 9, whereof vthe special instrumentalities 4 are guided by their butts l0 depending upon whether normal cr reverse plating is being effected. For reverse plating upon the needle corres onding to any specified special instrumentality, the butt l0 of that special instrumentality is in the inner- .most groove 8 of said two outer pathways andv for normal plating the butt 10 of that special instrumentality is in the outer pathway 9. Between the two pathways 8, 9 is a cam 11 of general segmental form and between the pathways 6 and 8 is a., cam 12 also.

of general segmental form. The said cams 11 and 12 are suiiciently spaced from each.

other to receive the butt l0 of a specialinstrumentality when the same has been directed thereinto in any suitable manner, as, for example, by selective means such as shown in the Lawson Patent No. 1,605,896. Itwill be noted that the Special instrumentalities 4 are of greater length than the regular sinkers or web holders 3 and also that the outer ends or butts 10 of the special instrumentalities 4 are thickened as clearly shown in Fig. 4, so as to occupy theientire Width of each groove 2. The segmental cam 11 is provided with an inwardly sloping or inwardly extending end part 14, the purpose of'which isv to move the special instrumentality radially inward at an earlier point circumferentially considered, or in other words at an earlier point in the stitch forming operation, than the regular web holders are moved inward at or near the casting off point. The purpose of this action is substantially that described in said Lawson Patent Reissue No. 16,584, dated April 5, 1927, to cause what in normal plating was the backing yarn to assume such position that it becomes the front or facing yarn and reverse plating occurs (see page 5, lines 83-85 and elsewhere of said reissued patent). Slightly circumferentially beyond the point where the special instrumentalities are so moved inward, that is, to the left thereof viewing Fig. 1, the inner edge of the cam 12 is sloped inwardly as indicated at 15, such slope terminating at a point 15 circumferentially beyond which the edge ot the cam 12 slopes again outwardly as indicated at 17. The purpose of the slope 15 up to the point 16 is to force the regular web holders inwardly in the regular stitch forming operation.

At an earlier point circumferentially considered than the inwardly extending part 14, the cam 11 is provided at its outer edge with an enlargement o r radially thickened cam of substantial circumferential extent indicated at 18 in Fig. l. The purpose ot this enlargement is to cause each special instrumentality 4 acted on thereby to be moved slightly further outwardly by engagement with the butt 10 thereon.

Assuming that the mechanism is used with that type of selective means shown in the Lawson Patent No. 1,605,896, the butts 10 of those special instrumentalities 4 which are selected for reverse plating ride in the pathway 8, the other special instrumentalities, being those at Whiclinormal plating is to be effected, remaining inthe outermost pathway 9. In the continued movement of the parts the said selected special instrun'ientalities 4 are projected inward by the inclined edge 14 and very shortly thereatter the regular web holders or sinkers 3, whose butts 7 ride inthe inner pathway 6 are also projected inward. The foregoing constitutes one type of primary means for effecting normal and reverse plating at desired needles.

In accordance with our invention we provide improved means for effecting in and out movements of the needles, and particularly for moving outward those needles upon which normal plating is to be effected.

It is to be understood that the needle movement may be employed with mechanism for producing normal platinor without producing reverse lating. An important purpose achieved'Ey moving needles outward as described is to insure a very sharp line of demarcation between normal and reverse plating areas, that is, when changing from reverse plating tonornial plating. lVe have shown the needle movement in connection with means for effecting either normal plating or reverse plating, it being understood that when the needle is in its outer position normal plating is to be clfected thereon.

The regular sinker or webholder 8 may be of any usual shape and requires no further description. The special instrumentality may in this case be of any `form that is adapted foretfecting normal"'plating and reverse plating depending upon the transverse position of said instrumentality with respect to the needle series. In Figs. 2 and 3, the special instrumentality 4 is provided with an uprightforward face or edge 19 which, when the said instrumentality is projected radially inward, effects thread engagement as fully described in said Lawson Patent No. 1,605,896, so that reverse plating is effected. In this case the special instrumentality 4 is also provided with a hump 20 which functions only in normal plating and is intended to engage and momentarily to separate the two threads in a manner not necessary more fully to describe. One of thc needles is indicated at 2l. lt is positioned in the usual groove 22 in the needle cylinder 23, being provided with a butt 24 and being held against the bottom of the groove 22 by the usual surrounding spring band or bands 25.

In order to eli'ect detlecting needle movement by means of the corresponding special instrumentality we provide a jack ot element 35 which is not positioned in the radial groove of that instrumentality but which has a flanged upper edge 36 for a portion of the length to overhang and be supported by the top edge 37 of the lowermost nib of the special instrumentality 4. Said jack or element 35 is extended in an outward direction toward the butt end ot the special instrumentality as indicated at 88 and at its end is bent into a hook 39 that takes against the outer vertical edge 4020i the special instrumentality 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The said cess 41 formed in the inner face of the web holder ring 1, the same affording sufficient room for all of said jacks or elements 3T, since said recess extends entirely about the needle cylinder. It will be understood that the cam edge 18 acting as already described upon the butt 10 ot the special instrumentality 4 moves the same radially outward thereby moving outward the jack or element 35. Said jack or element at its end opposite the hook 39 is provided with a hook 42 which takes against the 'back edge ofthe needle 21. Thus, the outward movement of said jack or element 35 causes the needles 21 to rock outward against the tension of the spring band 25 in a manner already described, to be restored by said spring band when the butt end passes the edge 18 It will be understood that the two threads are fed in a plating relation preferably in the manner disclosed in the said patents to Robert H. Lawson, Reissue No. 16,584 and No. 1,605,896, to which patents reference is made for a-fuller description of means to feed two yarns in a plating relation. If the hump 2O beemployed, the two threads may be fed without substantial diiference in tension thereon, though for purposes of general description it may be assumed that the greater tension is imparted to one of the threads than the other, and desirably to the thread that is fed the lower, all as described in the said reissue patent to Lawson, No. 16,584.

While we have shown a regular web holder and a special instrumentality in the same groove, our'inventionjs not limited thereto, since the needle movement may be employed whether or not a regular web holder is employed as a special instrumentality.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for pur oses of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims- 1. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and havin means to feed two threads thereto in a p ating relation, a series of instrumentalities one for each needle and movable in and out in knitting relation, a jack or element for each of said instrumentalities and structurally distinct therefrom but supported thereby for movement therewith and provided with a formation to engage the corresponding needle and move the same outwardly when said instrumentality is moved outwardly.

2. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in, a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities one for each needle and movable in and out in knitting relation, a jack or element for each instrumentality supported thereby and having opposite hooked ends, one for engagin with said instrumentality and the other or engagement with the needle, whereby outward movement of the instrumentality is imparted to the needle.

3. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities for desired needles movable in and out in knitting relation, a jack or element for each of said instrumentalities and structurally distinct therefrom but supported thereby for movement therewith and having provisions for en'- gaging the corresponding needles, thereby to move the same outwardly when said instrumentality is moved outwardly.

4. In a knitting machine `having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a platin relation, a series of instrumentalities for esired needles movable in and out in knitting relation, a jack or element 35 carried by each of said instrumentalities and having formations 39 and 42 for respective engagement with said instrumentality and the corresponding needle to move the needle upon movement of the instrumentality.

5. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed twoI threads thereto in a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities for desired needles movable in and'out in knitting relation, a jack or element constitutin a connecting means between the element an the needle and having formations to engage saidlelement and said needle respectiveI whereby movement of the instrumentality causes movement of the needle.

6. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threadsthereto in a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities one for each needle and movable in and out in knitting relation, a jack or element for and supported by each of said instrumentalities respectively and structurally distinct therefrom and provided with a formation to engage the corresponding needle and move the same outwardly when said instrumentality is moved outwardly.

7 In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads therein in a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities, one for each needle and movable in and out in knitting relation, some of said instrumentalities having a yarn engaging reverse plating edge, a jack or element for each 'of a series of said lnstrumentalities and supported thereb for movement therewith and provided with a formation to engage the corresponding needle and move the same outwardly when said instrumentality is moved outwardly.

8. In a knitting machine having a series o1 independent needles and having means to feed two threads'therein in a plating relation, a series of instrumentalities, one for each needle and movable in and out in knitting relation, some of said instrumentalities having a yarn engaging reverse'plating edge, a jack or element for each of a series of said instrumentalities and respectively supported thereb and provided with a formation to engage the corresponding needle and move the same outwardly when said instrumentality is moved outwardly.

9. In a knitting machine having a series of independent needles and having means to feed two threads thereto in a plating relation, 

